The week's postponement of the Group 3 Christmas Cheer has had no effect on favourite Just Terms' preparation with trainer Jodie Lord using a 500m straight track on her Gunning property to have the stayer at her peak for Saturday night's 720m event at Wentworth Park.
"The race being put back a week made no difference to Just Terms because I put her behind the lure on my 500m straight to keep her in top condition,'' Lord said.
"She will be hard to hold off if she gets the drop on the leaders in the early stages.''
Just Terms gave Blue Moon Rising (pictured), her main rival on Saturday, a start and a beating in the 715m Newcastle Cup at LADBROKES GARDENS on December 13 but that greyhound has the edge on 720m times at WP.
Blue Moon Rising's personal best is a near record 41.65 while Just Terms' fastest figures were 42.22, posted in October.
Just Terms has had seven 720m races at Wentworth Park for four wins and two placings while Blue Moon Rising's 22 720m assignments have produced eight wins and a dozen placings.
The small field of four especially suits Just Terms' racing technique and Lord's bitch has youth on her side, as she is just two-and-a-half years old while the John Finn-trained Blue Moon Rising turns four in April.
A "haircut'' has helped transform Old Mick Banner from being the slowest dog in his litter to an up-and-coming sprinter and the Barry Gibbons-trained dog is well positioned in box one in Saturday's Congrats Sue & Barto Stakes, 520m.
Old Mick Banner has had three wins and a second from his past four starts yet trainer Barry Gibbons conceded: "At one stage I was trying to get rid of him, I didn't think he had much of a future.
"He was difficult to break in and wasn't shaping up at all, but then I decided to shave his big woolly coat.
"That haircut has made an amazing difference to Old Mick Banner and he seems to have since grown a leg.
"He is ideally drawn on Saturday and looks to have plenty of wins in store as he doesn't turn two until March.''
Gibbons has Old Mick Banner's litter sister Lilly Banner in box eight in Saturday's Paws Of Thunder January 2020 Stakes but warned: "She will need to ping the lids from that draw.
"Lilly Banner is a mad railer so will need to do everything right from her outside alley, but if she can get across to the fence she will be hard to toss.
"She is going extra well at present and began fast when she led all the way from box two to win at LADBROKES GARDENS at her latest run on December 21.''
Canya Lilly has missed a place just twice in 11 Wentworth Park outings and could give Just Terms' trainer Jodie Lord a winning double in the All The Best In 2020 Stakes, 520m.
Canya Lilly has box six but won her only race from that draw and is in slashing form having recorded three wins, five seconds and a third from her past 10 Wentworth Park starts.
"She is very good on the bunny, she likes to lead, and if she can be in front at the first turn Canya Lilly will take catching,'' Lord said.
Box one will ensure Million Dollar Chase and Megastar winner Good Odds Harada is sent out an odds-on favourite in Saturday night's Christmas Gift but the small field of four suits arch rival Feral Franky.
Good Odds Harada's 29.34 personal best at WP is clearly ahead of Feral Franky's fastest time of 29.57, but he cannot afford to dwell at the start, as good beginners can sometimes do from box one at Wentworth Park.
Best Bet Just Terms (race 6)
Best Value Old Mick Banner (race 3)
Quaddie race 5 - 1, 8, 7
Race 6 - 5, 7
Race 7 - 6, 2, 3
Race 8 - 1, 5
$20 for 55.55%
